Acetylene-gas-generating apparatus.



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1,043,297. Patented Nov. 5, 191.2.v

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D. W. CALDWELL. AGPTYLPNB GAS GPNPRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1912. l 1,043,297. y Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

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TNTTFD STATES PATENT FFTQE.

DAVID W. CALDWELL, 0F BATAVIA, IOWA.

ACETYLENE-GAS-GENERATING APPARATUS.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, DAVID W. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Jefferson and State of lowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-GasGenerating Apparat-us, of which the following is a specification. y

The present invention relates to apparatus for generating acetylene gas and has particular reference to a device of this character to be sunk into the ground a considerable distance from the building or other place where the gas generated is to be used, such gas being conducted to the place of use by means of pipes or the like.

An important object ofthe invention is to provide a novel form of calcium carbid holder, which is constructed for receiving calcium carbid and retaining it in a mass having its lower portion only subjected to the action of the water and allowing the upper portion of the mass to be automatically fed downwardly as said lower portion is Consumed.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the abo-ve mentioned character', so constructed that parts thereof may be readily removed for the purpose of repair, refilling the carbid holders or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an acetylene gas generating apparatus of the above mentioned character, which is reliable and safe in operation, will gen erate a constant amount of gas and is not liable to derangements.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for removing the condensed water from the acetylene gas before it passes from the apparatus.

Other ob 'ects and advantages of the invention .will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the saine, Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the gas generating shells and associated elements, and, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the same, 4

Specification of Letters Patent.`

Application filed May 2o, 1912.

open, as shown.

' removable tubular shells.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 698,469.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a main outermost shell, which is preferably cylindrical and forms the body portion of the apparatus. The shell 1 is sunk into the ground a desired depth and is disposed a suitable distance from the building or other place where the generated gas is to be used. `The shell 1 has its lower end closed and its upper end formed open, which may be closed by a removable top or lid (not shown).

.Disposed concentrically within the outermost shell 1 is a bell-casing 2, adapted to re ciprocate therein and slidably engaging preferably diametrically arranged stationary guides 3. The outermost casing 1 is partially filled with water, which preferably eX- tends to a level indicated by a line 4:. The bell-casing 2 forms with the casing 1 an annular space 5, constituting a water seal. The top of the bell-casing 2 is provided with a suitable number of depending holding shells 6, having both ends thereof formed These holding shells are suitably spaced within the bell-casing 2, as shown, and there may be any desired number of them. Disposed within the depending holding shells 6 are removable tubular shells 7, having their lower ends formed open and their upper ends closed by heads or ends 8, extending beyond the tubular shells 7 to provide flanges 9, which engage upon the upper surface of the top of the bell-casing 2 and thus prevent the downward movement of the The heads 8 are equipped with handles 10, whereby the tubular shells may be moved upwardly out of the holding shells 6. The heads 8 carry petcocks 11, which are opened only when the apparatus is rst put into operation to allow of the discharge of the air contained within the removable tubular shells 7.

Disposed eccentrically within each of the removable tubular shells 7 is a generating shell 12, soldered or otherwise rigidly connected therewith. This generating shell has both ends thereof formed open, as shown. The generating shell 12 is provided near its lower end with a suitable number of preferably diametrically arranged slots 13, for receiving securing pins 14, which are rigidly mounted upon the lower end of a residue collecting receptacle 15. This collecting receptacle 15 is suit-ably spaced from the wall of the generating shell 12 to provide an annular space 16 so that the water may pass upwardly into the shell 12. The collecting receptacle 15 is provided near its upper end with an outwardly extending rib or flange 17, which engages a hood 18, provided with a suitable number of openings 19. This hood 18 is provided with a main central opening 20, through which extends the lower portion of a casing 21, included in the calcium carbid holder. This casing 21 has its lower end open, as shown. The holder casing 21 is provided near its upper end with perforations 22, as shown. The calcium carbid holder further comprises an inner open or skeleton frame 23, formed of longitudinally extending strands of wire 24, the upper ends of which converge slightly and the lower ends of which converge considerably more than such upper ends. The strands of wire 24 are connected with the casing 21. The intermediate portions of the strands of wire 24 are further connected by a second ring 26, which is also connected with the casing 21. The lower ends of the strands of wire 24 are not connected and are therefore free to yield slightly, which is particularly advantageous in a construction of this character, as it allows the calcium carbid, after being slaked, to properly discharge therefrom into the collecting receptacle 15 so that the upper portion of the calcium carbid may gravitate to the lower end of the holder. Disposed within the upper end of the generating shell 12 are spaced bafie or condensing plates 27 and 28. The bailie plates 27 are rigidly connected with the generating shell 12 and the baffle plates 28 are suspended therefrom by pins 29. The lower baffle plate 28 closes the upper end of the shell 2l, as shown.

Disposed within the lower end of the main casing 1 is a drip-tank 30, having both its upper and lower ends closed, as shown. A draw-off pipe 31 extending downwardly within the casing l has its lower end passing through an opening in the top of the tank 30, as shown. This draw-off pipe 31 is connected with a pump (not shown) of any well known or preferred type.

Extending upwardly into the removable tubular shells 7 exteriorly of the generating shells 12 are take-off pipes 32, each of which has connection at its lower end with an inverted U-shaped pipe 34, having its discharge end 34a disposed below the level of the water in the shell 1 and near the lower end of the bell-casing 2, as shown. The gas passes from the end 342L of the pipe 34 and passes or bubbles up through the water to be collected in the upper end of the bell-casing. Each inverted U-shaped pipe 34 is provided with a check valve 35, which permits of the gas passing through the same in one direction, as indicated by the arrow, but of course prevents a back-flow of the gas. The lower end portion 36 of each pipe 34 forms a drain pipe and passes through the top of the driptank 30 and extends into a cup or receptacle 37, as shown. The cup 37 forms with the pipe 36 a water seal to prevent any of the acetylene gas from escaping into the driptank 30. The function ofthis construction is to permit of the discharge of the condensed water contained in the generated acetylene gas, which water passes downwardly through the drip-pipe 36, overflowing from cup 37, passing into the drip-tank 30, and Vthen pumped out through pipe 31. Extending downwardly in the main shell 1 is a gas'supply pipe 38, serving to conduct the acetylene gas to the place of use. This supply pipe 38 is connected at its lower end through the medium of a coupling 39 with a vertical pipe 40, having its upper open end extending into the bell-casing 2 above the water level thereof and its lower open end extending into a water collecting receptacle or cup 41, disposed within the drip tank 30. By this construction, the condensed water contained in the generated acetylene gas will pass into the cup 41 without allowing the escape of the gas into thedrip-tank 30. The water in the cup 41 overflows and passes into the drip-tank 30 and is subsequently drawn therefrom through the pipe 31.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Each calcium carbid holder is filled by removing the tubular shell 7 from within the depending holding shell 6, subsequently to which the residue collecting receptacle 15 and carbid holder are removed from the fixed generating receptacle 12, by turning receptacle l5 to remove the pins 14 from the openings 13. This permits of the filling of the open or skeleton frame 23 with the calcium carbid. After this, the calcium carbid holder and associated elements are returned to their proper position within the removable tubular shell 7 which is then inserted into thev holding shell 6. As shown by the line 4, the water level will extend to and engage the lower portion of the mass of the calcium carbid, whereby the ordinary chemical action will take place and the acetylene gas will be generated. As the calcium carbid is slaked, the residue falls from the lower end of the open or skeleton frame 23 and is collected within the receptacle 15, whereby it may be subsequently removed as is apparent. The acetylene gas thus gener'- ated, passes through the openings 22 and about the baiile plates 27 and 28 to be discharged into the upper portion of the removable tubular shell 7. This acetylene gas now passes downwardly through the pipe 32 and upwardly through pipe 34 to be discharged below the open end of the bell-casing Q, whereby such acetylene gas travels upwardly through the water and is finally stored within the upper portion of the bellcasing 2. This acetylene gas now passes downwardly through the pipe and upwardly through pipe 3S to be conducted to the place of use. The bell-casing 2 being free to rise and fall within the main casing l, owing to the change of the pressure of the gas contained therein, it is obvious that the same will be automatically raised and lowered so that the calcium carbid will be more or less submerged in the water to increase or decrease the amount of gas generated, whereby such amount is Akept constant.

lt is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. ln apparatus of the character described, a main shell, a bell-casing mounted to reciprocate therein, a plurality of holding shells removably mounted within the bellcasing, tubular shells eccentrically arranged within said holding shells and rigidly connected with the walls of the same, calcium carbid holding means removably mounted within said tubular shells, a plurality of inverted substantially U-shaped pipes disposed within the bell-casing exteriorly of the holding shells, and take 0E pipes having their upper ends leading into the upper portions of the holding shells and their lower ends connected with said inverted substantially U-shaped pipes.

2. ln apparatus of the character described, a main shell, to be partially filled with water, a reciprocatory bell-casing mounted within the main shell, a holding shell mounted within thebell-casing, calcium carbid holding means mounted within said holding shell, an upstanding pipe mounted within the main shell below the bell-casing and having both ends thereof open and discharging below the water level in said main shell, and a take-oil' pipe having one end leading into the upper portion of the holding shell and its opposite end connected with said upstanding pipe.

8. lnapparat-us of the character described, a main shell, a bell-casing movably mo-unted therein, a closed drip-tank disposed within the lower portion of the main shell, an upstanding pipe mounted within the main shell and having one end thereof leading into said drip-tank and its opposite end discharging in a downwardly direction into the main shell above the drip-tank and below the water level thereof, a holding shell extending into the bell-casing, calcium carbid holding means mounted within the holding shell, and a pipe having one end thereof leading into the upper portion of the holding shell and its opposite end connected with said upstanding pipe.

4f. In apparatus of the character described, an outer shell, a bell-casing mounted to reciprocate therein, holding shells disposed within the bell-casing and having both ends thereof open, a removable tubular shell mounted within each holding shell and having its upper end closed and its lower end open, a calcium carbid holder disposed within each removable shell, a take-off pipe extending from the lower portion of the main casing to the upper portion of the removable tubular shell, inverted U-shaped pipes provided with check valves and connected with the take-olf pipes, an upstanding pipe having its upper end disposed in the upper portion of the bell-casing, and a gas supply pipe to be connected with the upstanding pipe.

5. In apparatus of the character described, an outer shell, a bell-casing mounted to reciprocate therein, removable shells mounted within the bell-casing, calcium carbid holders mounted within the removable tubular shells, take-od pipes leading into the upper portions of the removable tubular shells, inverted U-shaped pipes provided with check valves, and connected with the take-o pipes, a closed drip-tank disposed in the lower portion of the outer shell, and receiving the lower ends of the U-shaped pipes, cups disposed within the drip-tank and receiving said lower ends of the U-shaped pipes, a draw-off pipe leading into the driptank, and a gas supply pipe having means of communication with the upper portion of the bell-casing.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a main shell, a bell-casing mounted to reciprocate therein, tubular shells disposed within the bell-casing, calcium carbid holders mounted within the tubular shell, means for conducting the acetylene gas generated from the upper portion of the tubular shells to the upper portion of the bell-casing, a vertical pipe having its upper portion eX- tending into the upper portion of the bellcasing, a closed drip-tank, a cup mounted therein and receiving the lower end of the vertical pipe, a gas supply pipe connected with the. vertical pipe, and a draw-off pipe leading into the drip-tank.

7. Inapparatus of the character described, a main shell, a bell-casing movably mounted therein, a closed drip-tank disposed within the main shell, a pipe having one end thereof leading into the drip-tank and its opposite end discharging into the main shell below the water level thereof, a pipe to withdraw water from the drip-tank, a holding shell extending into the bell-easing, calcium Intestiinony Whereof I aHX my signature carbid holding means mounted in said holdin presence of two Witnesses.

ing shell, a pipe having one end thereof leading into the upper portion of the hold- DAVID W. CALDWELL.

ing shell and its opposite end connected with the first 11a-ined pipe, and a gas supply Witnesses: pipe leading into the upper portion of the J. B. TRENT, bell-casing. J. F. BRADSHAW.

Copie: of this patent may be obtained for :ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

